Apparatus for malting.



PATENTED APR. 7, 1908.

E. G. ADLAM. APPARATUS FOR MALTING.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 23.1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

THE NORRIS PETERS ca., WASHINGTON, n. c.

No. 883,848. PATENYTED APR. 7, l90 8.

B. G. ADLAM.

APPARATUS FOR MALTING. 2218108121011 FILED AUG. 23,1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Fig.2

THE lyokms PETERS C0,, WASHINGTON, D. c

UNITED s'rATEs PATENT OFFICE.

EDWIN GEORGE ADLAM, OF BRISTOL, ENGLAND.

APPARATUS FOR MALTING.

To all whom "it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWIN GEORGE ADLAM, a subject of the King of GreatBritain and Ireland, residing at Bristol, England, Kingdom of GreatBritain and Ireland, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Machinery or Apparatus for Malting; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same.

This invention relates to methods of malting in which the process iscarried out in tanks or containers which are provided with conveyers orbands for agitating and moving the grain; a fan, or the like, beingemployed for drawing air through the grain. This invention consists inimprovements in machinery or apparatus for malting under systems of thekind above mentioned, as hereinafter set forth.

According to this invention, in its most simple form, the maltingapparatus comprises two tiers, consisting of two box-like graincontainers communicating with each other, and in each of which is aconveyer band of reticulated woven wire, or the like. The conveyer bandsare near the floors or bottoms of the grain containers. Each conveyertravels in opposite directions in a suction chamber which is subjectedto the suction action of a fan, or the like.

The grain is charged in to the lower container at one end thereof and isreceived on the conveyer web therein by which the grain is conveyed toan elevator of special construction situated at the opposite end. By theelevator the grain is carried up and delivered on to the conveyer bandin theupper container. When both the upper and lower containers arecharged, the grain is kept in a state of rest until such time as it hasto be moved in the process. The conveyer bands and elevator having thenbeen put into action the grain is thereby agitated and caused tocirculate, the grain on the under conveyer web being carried up by theelevator and discharged on the upper conveyer web, from which the grainthereon is delivered on to the lower web. The elevator is fitted withpivotal buckets provided with cranked armsby means of which and a stoproller pin the buckets are tilted to discharge the rain they bring up onto the conveyer band in the upper grain container. Agita- Specificationof Letters Patent.

Application filed August 23, 1907.

Patented April 7, 1908.

Serial No. 389,922.

{ tion and turning movement of the grain are carried out at suchintervals and for such periods of time as may be needed. The air fan isput into action during such times and at such intervals as is necessary,as is well understood in the process of malting. Finally, when theprocess is completed the malt is discharged from the apparatus.

In larger apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention thetiers or containers are increased in numberin pairs.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 illustrates, inlongitudinal section, apparatus for malting, constructed and arranged inaccordance with my invention. The apparatus is shown in its simplestform, that is to say, having only two tanks or grain containers. Fig. 2is a sectional plan, the section being taken on the line as, m, Fig. 1.

The apparatus comprises two box-like open-topped containers 1 and 2.These containers or tanks are wider at the delivery end, tapering fromthe feeding end. In the lower container 1 is an endless conveyer band 3constructed according to the usual way of making such bands, that is tosay, of reticulated wire, or the like, secured to transverse bars 4riveted to side chains 5 adapted to run round sprocket wheels 6 whichare driven by an engine or motor situated outside. The conveyer band 3travels in the direction indicated by the arrow a. To the inner face ofthe band 3 are attached brackets 7 which carry rollers 8 which run onthe rails 9 and 10. The rails 9 are supported in bearings 11 extendingtransversely across the container 1. The rails 10 are bolted to hangers12 which are bolted to the bearers 11. In the upper container 2 is asimilar conveyer band 13, constructed like the band 3, and similarlyfitted with brackets 14 and with rollers 15 adapted to run on rails 16,and 17 of which the rails .16 are carried on the transverse bearers 18,the rails 17 being bolted to the hangers 19. The band 13 travels in thedirection indicated by the arrow I), that is to say, reversely to theband 3 in the lower tank or container 1. The band 13 is driven by meansof the same engine or motor 20 which drives the band 3.

The conveyers 3 and 13 extend at each side into recesses 21 which areclosed on the outside to the air, so that the suction fan does not drawair into the containers 1 and 2 through these recesses 21. The fan drawsair in only from the open tops of the tanks or containers 1 and 2 andthrough side ducts 23 which are faced internally with woven wire guards24. The fan is driven by the engine or motor 20. The suction pipe 25 ofthe fan communicates with both containers 1 and 2 and is fitted withdampers or regulators for governing the communication.

The method of working is as follows. The sluice or shutter 30 beinglowered, the grain is charged into the lower container 1 through theopening 27, the panel 28 having been lowered or removed and the hingeddoor 29 swung open. The grain is received on the web 3 and is therebyconveyed to the special elevator at the opposite end of the container.Access of the grain to the elevator is governed by the sluice 30 whichis a partition fitted with racks 31 in which gear pinions 32 by rotatingwhich, through the medium of the hand-wheel 33 and spindle 34, thesluice 30, which is inclined at an angle, is raised and lowered bodilyin a vertical plane, so that, in rising, it is moved out of contact withthe grain and thus obviates injury thereto in the movement of thesluice. The elevator is, as aforesaid, of special construction, in thatthe buckets are so hung and operated that they will deliver grain at anydesired point in the same vertical plane on the same side at which theyare fed. In delivering the grain on to the web 13 they shoot it down atan angle and not directly vertically. To effect this the buckets 35 haveat each end trunnions 36 supported in the elevator chains 37, thetrunnions being so situated that the buckets 35 always return to anormal posi tion after having been swung out of the said position, as indischarging the grain. Fixed on the trunnions 36 are cranks having arms38 and 39 carrying anti-friction rollers 40. The rollers 40 run incontact with roller path guides 41. Near the top of the inclined plane42, over the inner face of which the grain descends from the buckets 35to the web 13, are pins 43 fitted with rollers. By contact of the arms38 of the bucket cranks with the stop pins 43 the buckets 35 arepartially inverted and thus discharge their contents down the plane 42to the web 13. By the web 13 the grain is carried along in the container2 and, the door 44 being closed the grain accumulates in the'container 2until the container is charged to the required depth. The sluice 30, thepanel 28, and the doors-29 are next closed. The grain is then left atrest, and the fan 22 is put into action at such intervals and for suchperiods of time as may be required.

The fan draws air in only through the open tops of the grain containersand through the side ducts 23 which latter are open at one or both endsand are fitted with controlling dampers or slides. When it is requiredto move and turn the grain, the sluice 30 and the doors 44 and 29 areopened. The webs 3 and 13 and the elevator are put in motion andthegrain is thus moved and circulated. This is repeated at suchintervals as may be needed as is well understood in the process ofmalting in tanks or containers.

When the grain has been malted it is taken out at the same place atwhich it is charged in, or it may be discharged by the elevator at theto thereof. The elevator is capable of being l engthened and extendedupwards to deliver at any desired height, the stop pins 43 beingremovable, similar pins being fixed at a suitable height further up forthe discharge. The number of containers may be increased and thus thecapacity of the apparatus extended, the various operating and otherparts being increased and extended accordingly.

What I claim is:

1. Malting apparatus comprising a series of box-like grain containers,each having screened openings in its sides, an endless conveyer in eachcontainer and an elevator arranged vertically and located adjacent toone end of each container, pivotally mounted buckets thereon and meansfor tripping said buckets to discharge into the upper container,substantiallyas described.

2. Malting apparatus comprising a vertically arranged series of box-likecontainers, open at each end and each provided with screened openings inits sides, an endless conveyer in each container, an elevator adjacentto one of the ends of each of said containers, buckets pivotally mountedon said elevator, means for tripping said buckets to discharge into theupper container, and a suction fan arranged to draw air through saidcontainers, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature, in presence of twowitnesses.

EDWIN GEORGE ADLAM.

Witnesses:

SAMUEL HENRY HARRISON, JOHN ST. AUBYN TRENERRY.

